There are many isolated records of facts showing that the physical properties of (pure) metals alter when the metals are subjected to hammering, rolling, heat-treatment, and other processes.
Somewhat recently Beilby has shown* that the differences in all the various states of metals are explained by the fact that solids exhibit two distinct phases: these are the amorphous or vitreous, and the crystalline. The properties of a metal in any given state are due to the metal being made up either of one or other of these phases, or both.